Notes, from email by Nancy Long
Think Hiram and Tempa moved there because of Hiram's brother James A. Claxton
of Polk Bayou. I'm not
positive about that though. I know Hiram moved there probably to escape the
civil war and wound up in it
anyway. Some of the families had left the area for Rolla, Mo. evidently Hiram
had to go there after the war to get his family. They wound up staying until
about 1870 and went back to Fulton Co., Ark. I know
some of the men that testified for Hiram were Lassiter's, one was married to
Mary Mathis daughter of
Jordan Mathis who was Ford's brother. Mary's son was a William Lassiter and
Jesse was her husband.
I found, these surnames all in North Carolina either in Franklin or Granville
Co., and a Claxton or two
also. Lassiter, Bass, Mathis/Mathews/Matthews. Frank Claxton's wife Sarah died
at Dillon, Mo. during
the civil war. Testimony from Mrs. Caroline Shirley said "she lived in the
same yard at Rolla during the
civil war. with James A. Claxton's wife."

There was another cousin, I think, if I read this material right that was
Francis Mathis (male). That
lived in Hardeman Co., Tn. Francis stated his older brother went off with the
marriage party to LaGrange,
Tn. There was a Francis A. Mathis in Salem, Fulton Co., Ark., in Aug 1891.

Originally I had looked up information on Ford. I thought that is what you
wanted. So am doing this from
memory and bouncing around as I think of something. Hiram gave just about all
of his testimony for a c.w.
pension in Ark.

I'll look at this more and try to get it straight on dates. If I can find
fairly close ones. Hiram and 3 of his son's and Lassiter and his son's all
enlisted in 1862 in Co. D 1st Regiment Arkansas Volunteers. UNION
PEOPLE. My great grandfather enlisted in the CONFEDERATE Army. James Clinton
Claxton.

Looks
like they moved to Arkansas because Hiram's brother was there. James A. Claxton
born Franklin Co., Tn 1827 married Eliza A.C. Bass 18 Jan 1851 in Tippah Co.,
Ms. They moved into Arkansas before 1852 as thier first child Winfield Scott
Claxton was born there in 1852.

There
was another cousin, I think, if I read this material right that was Francis
Mathis ( male). That lived in Hardeman Co., Tn. Francis stated his older
brother went off with the marriage party to LaGrange, Tn.

This
information about Sarah was probably handed down to Arthur Ellis Claxton from
his Father Andrew Jackson Claxton. Andrew took care of his mother Temperance
Mathis Claxton until her death. Arthur Claxton knew Temperance as a child. He
lived to be 101 years old.

Testimony, from a book by Wanda
Claxton Warehime, emailed by Nancy Long

To set the tone for the following pension records I
might fill you in on how the Lassiter’s. Bass and the Claxton’s had been long
time friends from Tennessee, to Mississippi to Ark.They could have even been in
North Carolina with the Ford and Jordan Mathis people. They seemed to always be
together either in the census showing them in the same neighborhoods, through
the Civil War in the same outfit, (Jesse Lassiter and his sons enlisted the
same day as Hiram and his sons) and after the war they lived in the same
neighborhood. The older Jesse who was married to Mary Mathis, died while in the
hospital in St. Louis. The Claxton’s also testified for the Lassiters on their
pension applications. It took much testimony (as you will see) in order to
finally receive an invalids pension for your service in the Union Army.

The
above is an excerpt from the genealogical history book of Hiram Madison Claxton
and his descendants, “Here’s to Daddy Claxton” written by several family
members, including myself,Wanda
Claxton Warehime put it all together and had it published in 1995. Since Hiram
had 13children with 12 living to adult
hood Wanda assigned a descendant down each line to get the family history done
and it worked. My James Clint line turned out to be the largest chapter but
with the help of Mary Sue Carey it was done.

Below
is a summary of some of the testimony for Hiram by Lassiter people.

Jesse
C. Lassiter Aug 19, 1879 in Co. of Independence Ark. Appeared and stated he was
a private in Co. D of the 1st Regiment Ark.Vols. with Hiram M.
Claxton. He testified he was asound
and healthy man before the war.Then
Jesse stated the nature of the disease, injury or wound then the source, Jesse
stated “From being with him on guard. This was sworn before William Lassiter a
Justice of the peace. (Apparently Hiramdeveloped deafness while at the St. Louis hospital also from taking
Quinine for chronic dysentery.)

June
1886-deposition- William Lassiter said- I am 55 years old, a farmer, p.o.
address Sandtown, Independence Co., Ark. I was aquainted with the claimant when
he lived in Tippah Co., Miss. Some 15 years before the war. I came to this
state in 1858 and this co. in 1859 or 1860, I am not positive which, we lived
about two miles apart before he (Hiram) enlisted. I deer hunted with him a
great deal. We were in the same Co. together. William went to see Jesse while
he was at the hospital in St. Louis and saw Hiram there.

I
AM A DISTANT RELATIVE BY MARRIAGE, HIS WIFE AND MY MOTHER WERE COUSINS, NOTE;
WILLIAM LASSITER’S MOTHER WAS MARY MATHIS LASSITER THE DAUGHTER OF JORDAN
MATHIS WHO WAS A BROTHER OF FORD MATHIS. TEMPY’S FATHER.

Jun
25 1886-Jesse Lassiter said; I am 43 years old the 10 of July next, a farmer,
p.o. address Alvis, Independence Co., Ark.We lived in Mississippi before the war, lived in the same neighborhood
about 9 miles from him. I came to this state in 1858 he cam in 1860, I believe.
We lived about 3 miles apart here. As far as I know Claxton was stout hardy man
before the war. I never heard anything to the contrary. We both went in the
same Co. and Reg’t. together.

Excerpt
from same book under Rolla, Missouri.

“I
am sure neighbors and maybe other relatives would be in the same predicament so
I feel a number of them would travel together. (Means to escape the war). We
know Tempy’s cousin Mary Mathis Lassiter, who was married to Jesse Lassiter
lived near them and also perhaps another cousin Francis Mathis. This is a
presumption until we can prove more.

We
know Hiram’s the women and children were there during the war because Hiram had
to go to Rolla,to get his family after
the war. Frank Claxton’s wife Sara died at Dillon, Mo. during the war in 1863.
We also have testimony from a Mrs. Caroline Shirley who says she lived in the same
yardat Rolla, during the war
with James A. Claxton’s wife.

Testimony
for Tempy’s widows pension.

She
filed Mar 28, 1890 in Howell Co., Mo. She stated: She was the lawful widow of
Hiram M. Claxton, deceased, that he died on the 9th of Mar. 1890.
She said she married him in 1837 in La Grange, Hardeman Co., Tn and that her
name before marriage was Tempa Mathews (Mathis).

Francis
Mathis gave a sworn statement that he was well acquainted with Hiram M. Claxton
in Hardeman Co., Tn before the marriage of Tempa Mathis about 50 years ago and
the acquaintance lasted till his death. That he knew they were married and
recognized as such in Tn, Ms., and Ark. where they have since lived.

Francis said: “ I was not present at the marriage
but knew my older brother, now dead, went off with the marriage party to La
Grange, Tn., where the ceremony was performed. I was a small boy twelve or 14
years old. I was informed by my brother and others that the marriage occurred
in La Grange, Tn. (Francis A. Mathis a witness.)

THEORY OF WHO HIRAM’S
PARENTS ARE:

Excerpt from book before
mentioned book. Most of this was done by Richard Merel Claxton, original Oct
1978 and update May 1985.

There are records of Hiram and
Tempy in Fayette Co., TN . Ford Mathis left a record of him being in Fayette
Co., Tn. In 1836. Hiram has been difficult. BUT a James Claxton and family
moved to Fayette Co. Tn. Sometime before 1840.

I believe James Claxton and
a Polly Martin were his parents.

In 1817 James Claxton
married Polly Martin in Sumner Co., Tn. Never again was a Polly mentioned (only
husbands on census until 1850). In 1830 there is James Claxton listed in
Weakley Co., Tn with a son age 10-15 (Hirams’s age in 1830) he also had two
other sons, ages 5-10 and under 5. One of these sons fits a John Claxton later
in Tippah Co., Miss. There were also daughters listed. One age 10-15 and two
under 5. Now remember this! Also in this same census a female age 50-60 was
listed with the family. To add to our evidence
we found a land record in Weakley Co. in 1829 for James. He was also in other
court records 1827-1835 there. In 1840 the same James Claxton appears in
Fayette CO TN, pg. 153 federal census. He had moved there before 1840. Probably
before 1837. If this is the case it would explain how Hiram and Tempy met. The
change in the census show the son Hiram’s age gone, which he was married and in
Tippah Co., just across Tn., Ms., line. The female 50-60 mentioned was also no
longer with them. Ford Mathis and family were also gone now living in Tippah
Co. near Tempy.

The 1850 census lists all
the names in the census. Tippah Co. Ms. Hiram and the whole family were listed.
Nearby Ford and Sarah Mathis ages 78 and 73 born in North Carolina are living
and they have a female named Martha Martin age 78 born Va. living with them. In
the same neighborhood was John Claxton age 20 and Mary Claxton age 15 listed
living with Joseph Dodds and his family. (Mary later married Joseph Dodds.)

By 1860 Ford and Sarah had
died and Martha Martin age 100 born Va. was living with Hiram. I think she was
Hiram’s grandmother. The mother of POLLY MARTIN before mentioned. Mary Claxton
had married Joseph Dodds and John Claxton was not listed in Tippah Co. He
probably had his own family by now. I have found no record of this yet.

The Dodds family was no
long in Tippah Co., census after 1860. NOTE; There was a J.W. Dodds listed next
door to Hiram in the Dog enumeration of Howell Co., Mo., in 1880.

This is circumstantial
evidence but so far it is the best we have. I have considered this possibility
for several years but just could not put it to paper until a
professional genealogist and others had the same theory. We need a will, bible
record or some written record that name the children of James mentioned as
Hiram’s father but so far…………

Facts we have seen.

Hiram was born in Tn. In
1817. We cannot find any record of him saying where in Tn.

His brother James A.
Claxton. from Hiram’s pension records from the Civil War. James stated on his
enlistment papers for the Union Army he was born in Franklin Co., Tn. In 1827. Then he served in the Mexican War and
said he was born in Gibson Co., Tn.

Hiram married Temperence a
dau of Ford Mathis in 1837 in La Grange,
Fayette Co., Tn.